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Michael Imperioli Almost Blew His White Lotus Audition

The Sopranos vet admitted he hadn't seen the show before taping his scenes.
  • Michael Imperioli in The White Lotus. (Photo: HBO)
    Michael Imperioli in The White Lotus. (Photo: HBO)

    Michael Imperioli came close to bombing his audition for The White Lotus

    The TV vet admitted to the Los Angeles Times that he was encouraged by his manager to re-tape his audition after a first attempt. "They wanted me to tape two scenes," Imperioli recalled, confessing he hadn't been familiar with show creator Mike White's work previously. "Which I understand because they might not have seen me in anything for a while — they want to see what I look like and where I’m at."

    When he submitted his tape to his agent, however, the response he got was less than ideal. "She said, 'You should watch the show and then redo this audition. You’re not getting the tone right,'" he shared. Once he'd binged Season 1, he immediately understood her notes. 

    "I didn’t realize how funny the show was," The Sopranos vet admitted. "...I was like, 'This is the work of somebody really brilliant.'" Imperioli's next attempt got him the part, and he made Italy his home for four months during shooting. 

    While Imperioli's turn as sex-addicted father Dominic has marked a welcome return to TV for the actor, he revealed that he won't be watching this season of The White Lotus - at least not anytime soon. “"I don’t really watch myself much anymore — I usually let a lot of time pass before I do," he said. "I get in my head and I can’t be objective... I start not liking what I was doing and questioning things. It’s not fun."

    The series was recently renewed for a third season.

    The White Lotus airs Sundays at 9pm on HBO and is streaming on HBO Max.

    People are talking about The White Lotus in our forums. Join the conversation.

    Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines and harboring dad-aged celebrity crushes. She was previously a reporter/producer at Decider and is a member of the Television Critics Association. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.

    TOPICS: The White Lotus, HBO, Michael Imperioli